Roast the onions in olive oil for 30-40 minutes at 180 Fan/200C/Gas 6.

Pod the peas, then blanch in salted boiling water for 1 minute. Then plunge into iced water.

Pod the broad beans, then blanch in salted boiling water for 1 minute. Then plunge into iced water.

Double pod the blanched broad beans by squeezing the skins gently.

Finely dice half a carrot and leek.

Finely shred the cavolo nero.

Finely slice half a fennel bulb into crescent shapes.

Finely slice half the celery into crescent shapes.

Snap off the woody ends of the asparagus and roughly chop on the diagonal.

De-skin, de-seed and dice (concasse) the tomatoes: score an X on the bottom of tomatoes and blanch in boiling water for 10 seconds, then plunge into cold water for a few seconds. Peel back the tomatoes skins from the X, chop into quarters and deseed. (Reserve this seeded part and push through a sieve for a strained tomato juice to serve at the end.) Evenly dice the remaining tomato flesh.

Cook the pasta in salted boiling water, undercook by 2-3 minutes.

Rinse the borlotti beans and black chickpeas.

Shred the parsley, tear the mint and basil and pick the lemon thyme.

METHOD

Vegetable stock / brodo:

Add all the stock vegetables to a large pot, including the roasted onions.

Cover with 2L cold water.

As it comes to the boil add the peppercorns, bay leaves and star anise and skim off any scum on the surface.

Reduce to a gentle simmer for 1 hour.

Strain through a muslin or fine sieve for a nice clean stock.

Reduce the stock further for 20 minutes on a gentle simmer.

Minestrone:

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saucepan over a moderate heat.

Sweat the diced carrots, leeks and 3 cloves of bashed garlic until translucent – no colour at all.